You Ever Notice How Serena Williams Turns the Woman in This DIRECTV Commercial Gay?

I have been known, on occasion, to project my own gay feelings onto ostensibly not-gay people / places / things, and so I thought that’s what I was doing in that DirectTV commercial where Serena Williams turns into Wonder Woman. You know which one I’m talking about? It’s like Serena, then Wonder Woman, then Serena, then Wonder Woman, then Serena, then Wonder Woman — and then Serena IS Wonder Woman? My first and eternal crush was Lynda Carter’s Wonder Woman. One of top five modern crushes is Serena Williams, which I talk about any time someone gives me an opening. So when the woman in the DIRECTV commercial sees Serena Wonder Woman and lustily gasps, flirtily tugging on her own ear, and literally swoons in a way that would have a Victorian woman getting swooped away to a fainting couch, I thought, “No I’m just being me; the fact that she can’t breathe looking at Serena Wonder Woman is surely a heterosexual reaction.”

But the more I watch that commercial — which is multiple times every night I watch the WNBA which is every night — the more I’m convinced it’s a gay reaction. But more than that, it’s a first time gay reaction. It’s the reaction of a shocked adult human who has just realized there’s more than one gender option for smooching. Serena Williams is making this woman gay in real time! She quirks her eyebrow! She inhales a second time! Her face is literally this emoji 🥵!

DIRECTV would have you believe she’s just surprised by the great deal. But that’s nuts! Some people don’t know they’re gay yet, but everyone knows there’s no such thing as a “deal” from a wholly-owned subsidiary of a multi-billion dollar multinational conglomerate holding and telecommunications company!

The only explanation is she’s turning gay.

See for yourself and post your verdict in the comments.

Update: When TWO members of a world-renowned LGBTQ TV Team see it without even discussing it.

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Heather Hogan

Heather Hogan is an Autostraddle senior editor who lives in New York City with her wife, Stacy, and their cackle of rescued pets. She's a member of the Television Critics Association, GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics, and a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer critic. You can also find her on Twitter and Instagram.

Heather has written 1718 articles for us.

31 Comments

  1. I almost clicked the video to watch, and then I thought, “no, there are two wnba games tonight, I’ll see it plenty of times and it’ll be a fun gay surprise” so thank you for your service Heather Hogan

    • I haven’t seen the commercial, but went to see it as soon as I started the article, and I kind of agree with this comment.
      Although the realizing queerness is not a bad option either.
      Anyway, who can watch Serena in a WW outfit without swooning??

    • Without a doubt the dumbest commercial on TV. Not sure about the gay look but she looks like the most-easily impressed woman in the world. Her husband is a dork, too.

    • Yes! I had to back it up to make sure I wasn’t projecting. Cracks me up every time. I mean, even her position changes!

  7. Definitely had the same reaction of, “Oh, I’m projecting my queer feelings again,” and then, “…no? I’m not?”

    Whether she’s bi or gay, whether this is her first experience of queer feelings or a new realm of attraction on her queer journey, I love it.

  8. 100% Yes. My wife and I have had this conversation many times because the commercial plays so often. This was literally our exact reaction. GAY

  9. Ugh, why don’t I get this commercial on my viewings of WNBA games?!?!? I just get a lot of commercials starring men whom I assume play in the MenBA :((((((( Rude!!! Not what I’m here for!!

  10. Thank you! Every time this commercial comes on, I remark on how queer it is. But I do agree with the other commenters that this is not a “becoming” situation. I mean look at how she’s sitting. That’s a bisexual sit if I’ve even seen one.

  11. Also? The Humira ad with the podcasters Kristina and Katie. They are a lesbian couple that gives super-gay dating advice. At least that is my read of it.

  13. Guy in the green shirt had the same face as her at the end.
    So to dive into that….is he just a gay friend who was just swayed straight?

  15. The kid and I saw this for the first time and burst out laughing, it was so obvious (and relatable).

    But has anyone noticed that it almost always plays with the State Farm ad in which a fully queer-coded Izzi Rojas delivers pizza to Jake, *and his identity is not the point of the ad*? https://youtu.be/EoXqO5JI14k

  17. How ridiculous. Dumbest thing I’ve heard in quite some time! I guess the guys supposed to be attracted to her as well based on his facial expression…asinine! Laughable how you’re reading the actresses mind, the mind of the actor, the producer and everyone involved. Notice how she looks at her husband before Serena is even brought into the scene. Clearly both are shocked that the tv can make a character from two different individuals. GTFOH

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